Source: U.S. Employment and Training Administration  

Release: Pandemic Claims Weekly Report  

Units:  Number, Not Seasonally Adjusted

Frequency:  Weekly, Ending Saturday

An initial claim is a claim filed by an unemployed individual after a separation from an employer.

The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) is a program that temporarily expanded unemployment insurance eligibility to self-employed workers, freelancers, independent contractors and part-time workers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. This program was established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which expanded states' ability to provide unemployment insurance to many workers affected by COVID-19, including people who aren't ordinarily eligible for unemployment benefits.